Compressed-air water-elevator.



No. 629,866 Patehted Aug. 1, was.

v m. L. MITCHELL. COMPRESSED AIR WATER ELEVATOR.

(Applicaticn filed. Apr. 29, 1898.)

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M. L. MITCHELL. com'nzsszn AIR WATER neuron! (Application med Apr. 22, 1898.

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N0. 629,866 Patented Aug. I, 1899.

m. L. MITCHELL.

COMPRESSED AIR WATER ELEVATOR.

(Application filed 'Apr. 29, 189B.) (No Modal.) 4 Shaets$heat 3.

M M MAhcz s L, MITCHELL,

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COMPRESSED MR WATER ELEVATOE.

(In llodal WITNESSES l V WWM To all whom it may concern.-

ticularly to the type known as displace- [UNITEDWSTA PA ENT OFFICE.

-MARCUS L. MITCHELL,.OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI COM PRESSE D-AIR WATER-ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,866, dated August 1, 1899.

Application filed AprilZZ, 1893.

Be it known that I, MARCUS L. MITcHELL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressed-Air l/Vater-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in compressed air water elevators-that is to say, pumps for raising water or other liquids. by means of compressed air, and more parment-pumps,as'will more fully and at large appear from the following description of the construction and mode of operation of the apparatus and'be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

. Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation showing a general View of theapparatns, a portion of one of the pump-chambers and the delivery-pipe being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a detailed plan view of the port-plate of the main valve. Fig. 3 is an end View of the main-valve cylinder. Fig. this a transverse sectional elevation on the line -i l'of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of one of the pump chambers, showing the inlet'and outlet pipes, together with a portion of one of the controlling-"elves. Fig. .6 is a View in elevation, showing'the'two pump-chambers, their deliveryf pipes, and; portions of the air-controlling valves'f liigfi 7 is a vertical sectional ele'vation'of a doubleacting controlli'ng valve. 'Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevationfof a main" valve, slightly lnOdlfid;f0I use in con nection with a single-acting pump. "Fig.9 is atopplan View of the controlling-valve and main valve shown in Figs. land 8.

-As indicated in the drawings, AB are two air-tight vessels, preferably of metal, and which may be in cylindrical or other form. These vessels are immersed in and placed together on a suitable base near the bottomfof the well, tank, cistern, or other container of liquids to be raised, and they should be strong enough to Withstand the pressure of the gas or fluid by which the liquid contained in the said tank is expelled through the deliverypipe by displacement. Compressed air be- Serial it). 678,462. on model.)

which is provided with a conical head 01 e,

adapted when the said floats are raised by the filling of their respective chambers to close the openings to theair-passages D E. When empty, the pump-chambers are allowed to fill automatically, as will appear, and their contents are alternately forced out by-con1 pressed air, which is controlled by the main valve G and supplied thereto by pipe g, extending from any suitable source.

The main valve G comprises a cylinder H, provided with a piston h and with a slidevalve I, which is connected to and moved by s'a'idpiston over a set of three ports D, E, and X, which are arranged as in ordinary steam practicethe exhaust-port in the middle between the two air-ports.

The cylinder H may be made of the usual cast-iron but I prefer to line it with bronze,

jas'in'dicated at 571'." The piston h is bestof brass] 4 The port-plate k is preferably ina separate piece, as indicated ih'Figs. 1 and 2, and this Iprefer also to make of bronze, while the slide-valve maybe of cast-iron, since under constant 'expo'sureto water these materials give good results and work Well without lubrication.

The piston of the main valve G is formed with hollow heads j, and the cylinder-heads J J are providedwith inward extensions K K", corresponding to thehollo wsinthe ends of the piston in order to diminish the cubic I contents of the spaces between the ends of the piston and the ends of the cylinder. The end portions of the said piston h are providedwith any usual form of packing .to secure tight joints with the cylinder. The central portion of the piston h between itstwo cylindrical end parts is in the form of a rib or ribs 70, to which the slide-valve I is secured by a suitable bolt 70 or otherwise.

The air-pipe g is connected with the central portion of the cylinder H, and the motor fluid or compressed air passes freely through the central portion of the cylinder to the airports D E.

The movement of the valve-piston 71, and slide-valve I to alternately supply live air to and exhaust spent air from the pump-chambers A B is effected through two similar controlling-valves, which are preferably placed one on top of each of the pump-chambers A B in corresponding positions with respect to the main valve Gr. The controlling-valves comprise cylinders L M, one on each pump cylinder'or chamber. The valve-cylinders are open below into their respective pumpcylinders and closed on top by an air-tight head, through each of which passes a rod L M. A cylindrical valve Z m is arranged to be moved vertically in each of the cylinders and is formed hollow and with openings into the cylinders, so that it is balanced and not affected by the pressure of the air in its pumpchamber. Each of the pistons Z m is formed with a central groove or depression N O. The pipe 'n extends from a suitable point in the cylinder L to the cylinder of the main valve G and through duct or port N therein to its opposite end, and a corresponding pipe 0 extends from the cylinder M to the main valve G and through port 0 therein to the opposite end of its cylinder, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 2. The pipe P is connected with both of the cylinders L M, connecting with ports therein arranged in similar relation. This pipe supplies compressed air to the said controlling-valves separate from the main airpipe g, although it may be from the same source at same pressure. A second pipe p is similarly connected to both the cylinders L M and serves as exhaust therefrom. The live-air and exhaust pipes Pp and the grooves N O in the pistons m Z are, as indicated, so arranged that at opposite extremities of their stroke they will lap the air or the exhaust ports in the cylinders L M and the ports communicating with the main-valve-actuating pipes at 0.

The controlling-valve pistons Z on are operated by a combination of floats and weights within the pump-cylinders.and normally are raised and lowered in accordance with the rise and fall of the liquid in the pump-cylinders, thereby controlling the position of the piston h of the main valve G.

The'pump-chambers are provided with vertical rods a b, which are secured at their upper ends to the pistonslm and at their lower ends pass through guide-openings in crosspieces a 17 The lower part of each chamber A B is provided with an exit a 1), communicating with the delivery-pipes A B, and each of these exits is provided with a closingvalve a b, which valves are normally sustained out of contact with the exit-openings by annular floats a b", which when the chambers are not entirely empty float up against the under side of the cross-piece a 19 keeping the openings a 19 free. These valves are also guided by short stems (L N, which are in line with the rods a b.

Open-top buckets (J G are secured near the lower ends of the vertical rods a I), desirably resting upon blocks (L2 Z9 secured to the rods, and as the water lowers in the pumpchambers the water contained in the buckets acting as a weight pulls down the rod a or b and with it the controlling-valve attached thereto. Each rod a b is also provided near its upper end with a float D D by which the rod, weight, and piston Z or m is raised when the desired quantity of water has entered the cylinder.

One of the difficulties attending the use of compressed-air water-elevators is due to the fact that when immersed at the bottom of the well and beyond reach it frequently happens that after a period of disuse the sediment from the water settling around the moving parts makes it impossible to start them up. I have therefore so arranged and constructed my improved apparatus that the controllingvalves may be operated byhand through manual connections extending to the surface. These comprise the rods L M, which enter packed openings in the heads of the cylinders L M and are loosely connected to the upper ends of the pistons Z m by collars Z Z m m so as not to afiect the normal operation of the said pistons. The rods L M are pivotally connected to the extremities of the rocking lever Q, which may be pivoted upon the projection q, secured to the air-pipe g or other convenient place. Wires q g extend from the said rods to a convenient point at the surface where they may be manipulated manually. When stopped, both chambers will fill with water, and should the main valve refuse to start or not be in position to start automatically when the compressed air is turned on through pipe 9 then the secondary air is thrown against first one and then the other end of the piston h by raising and lowering the pistons Z m of the controlling-valve through the wires g g and rocking lever Q. This by striking the main -valve piston h repeated blows from opposite ends will readily move it into position to resume normal automatic operation.

To secure high efficiency, the motor fiuid is supplied to the full chambers in large volume. A very great obstacle to the successful working of this class of apparatus has been due to the sudden and violent application of the ejecting medium, causing great shocks and strains, accompanied by liability of derangement and violent and spasmodic action, all of whichI have obviated by gradually applying the pressure tothe full pumpchambers before admitting the full volume of the compressed air thereto. I also secure a discharge is complete.

waste very material economy in operation by shutting off the supply of compressed air to the air-supply through the pipe P and one or other of the controlling-valves, and the movement of the said piston is arrested by the escape of said air through a by-pass into the pump-chamber that has been filled.

R is aby-pass port extending from the main air-port E to andentering one end of the cylinder H of the main valve G, a short distance from the head J, through the port '1'. The port 7* is always free in the direction from the cylinder to the main port E and thence into the chamber B, but is closed by a preponderance of pressure by means of the valve r, which seats upward, but permits the passage of air downward. In like manner the by-pass S communicates with the chamber A through main port D and with the opposite end of the cylinderll by the port 5 and is closed upward by the valve 8'. i

. With this construction or its substantial equivalent the mode of operation is as follows: The chamber A is full and ready to dis charge, while the chamber 13 is filling. The check-valve or float b of thesaid chamber B is at its lowest position, which should be such that it will not be blown up into closed position by the outrush of the exhaust through the ports, which, as shown, are fully open. The valve m has been pulled down by the weight Ciestablishin g connection for the live air from the pipe P through the pipe 0 and duct or port 0 to the opposite end of the cylinder of the main valve G, forcing the piston it over and with it the slide-valve I, opening the port D and establishing communication betweenthe main air-supply from the pipe g through the main valve to the full pump-cylinder A. At

the same time the rising of the float D in chamber Acarries with it the weight 0", which being surrounded by water becomes neutral-- ized and in raising the valve-piston Zshuts 5ft the live air from the pipe P and establishes communication between pipe 77/, duct N, the opposite end of the main-valve cylinder H, and the exhaust-pipe 19, thereby permitting the movement of the main-"alve piston h. These are the conditions under full operation. The intermediate steps are that as the water leaves the chamber A and enters the chamber B by an appropriate adjustment of the floats D D when the chamber B is nearly filled its float will rise, shutting off the live air which held the piston 71 of the main valve. Correspondingly the weight in the opposite chamber becoming uncovered will assert itself and pull down the piston Z, closing the exhaust on that side and opening the communication to t-hesecondary live-air supply from pipe P, which will then accumulate in a suitable groove around the opposite end of the piston of the main valve,and this,continuing toflow, will start and move it (the piston 72) until the ports D and E are closed and the port 0' is uncovered, when the live air will escape through the by-pass R, around the valve 9", into the filling chamber B, into which it will continue so to flow, the piston h remaining stationary while the pressure in chamber B accumulates. When the small stream of air flowing into the filling-chamber B has backed up so as to bring the pressure therein up to that of the main air-supply, the said pressure will also exist at the end of the piston h, controlled by said port 9, and the exhaust at the opposite end of the said piston being open the said piston h of the main valve will complete its move-' ment, carrying the slide-valve I to the final position,where it will lap the main port D and the exhaust-port, giving free vent to the spent air in the chamber A, when it will immediately proceed to reflll. Similar inlet-pipes are provided, one only, A being shown. These are placed near the upper portions of the pump-chambers A B in order to prevent the admission of debris, and they are provided with suitable check-valves, and with screens also when necessary.

My invention is not limited to a duplex apparatus, as it maybe operated in single form without departing from the invention, as indicated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. As there shown, Hindicates a main-valve cylinder substantially like the one already described, except that it is providedwith only one principal airport T instead of with two. The slide-valve I is similar in construction and arrangement,as is also the exhaust-port and the main air-supply pipe g. In a single-acting arrangement only a single chamber A is employed, and one double-acting controlling-valve takes the place of the two small valves heretofore described. The chamber A resembles those shown, and hence is only indicated by broken parts.

M is the cylinder of the controlling-valve, which is provided with a double-ported airinlet extending from the air-supply pipe P.

A single exhaust-port 19 is provided, and the The chamber A is provided wit-h outlet and .inlet openings, as in the previous instances,

and also with. a weight and a float, which are connected with the dependingrod W, the construction and operation of these parts being as already described. As the rod 7 is raised and lowered by the filling and emptying of the pump-chamber A the valve-piston m is raised and lowered, alternately supplying air to and exhausting it from .the opposite ends of the cylinder ll.. In. this instance,howev er,

only a single by-pass port t is needed, this being provided with a check-valve t, preventing back pressure through the small port t. The operation of the apparatus is similar to that already described, except that the delay in the movement of the valve will occur only prior to the beginning of the discharge of the contents of the chamber A In this instance also I provide means in the rod W, extending to the surface, for manually operating the controlling-valve in order that should the main valve be clogged by sediment or otherwise by repeatedly applying the force of the motor fluid from the secondary supply-pipe to alternate ends of the piston of the main valve it may be readily started into normal operation.

The main air-supply pipe g, as well as the secondary pipe P, also supplying compressed air, are each provided with any convenient form of regulating-cock at accessible points, so that the main supply of air maybe discontinued and the piston 7t relieved of the pressure thereof while the motor fluid from the secondary supply is applied to the ends of the piston hin alternation for the purpose of starting it into condition for normal operation, and any separation of the main and secondary air-supply pipes which Will permit independent use thereof will answer the purpose. At the same time it need not be understood that the main air-supply to the pipe g is in all cases cut off until the valve h has been stopped, this being discretionary with the person in charge.

While I have described in detail the construction shown, it will be apparent that the same may be altered or modified in many particulars without the exercise of invention in view of the foregoing. I therefore do not limit myself to the precise details or the exact arrangement thereof in practice.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a compressed-air water-elevator, two chambers each provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a main valve for controlling the admission of air to and exhaust thereof from said chambers, and means for alternately and independently connecting each end of said main valve'with the airsupply and exhaust by the rise and fall of the liquid in said chambers, whereby the shifting of the main valve is con trolled by the admission and exhaust of air due to the conjoint action of both chambers.

2. In a compressed-air water-elevator, two chambers each provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a main valve for con.- trolling the admission of air to and exhaust thereof from said chambers, two independent primary valves each adapted to control both the supply and exhaust to operate said main valve, a primary valve being in connection with each of said chambers, a float in each of said chambers for moving the primary valve connected therewith in one direction independently of the other primary valve, a weight in each of said chambers for moving the primary valve connected therewith in the other direction independently of the other primary valve, and operating connections between said primary valves and said main valve, whereby said main valve is actuated by the conjoint action of said primary valves.

3. In a compressed-air water-elevator, two chambers each provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a piston for controlling the admission of air to and exhaust there of from said chambers, a double-acting primary valve for each of said chambers, one communicating with one end of said piston,

and the other with the other end thereof, and

means for independently operating each of said primary valves by the rise and fall of the liquid in its respective chamber.

4:. In a compressed-air water-elevator, a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised and provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, an air-supply for supplying compressed air to force out the contents of said chamber, a "alve controlling the admission of air from said air-supply to said chamber through a main port, a secondary port for supplying air to said chamber. to raise the pressure in the same, and means for opening said latter-named port by the initial movement of said valve before the main port is opened.

5. In a compressed-air water-elevator, a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised and provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, an air-supply for supplying compressed air to force out the contents of said chamber, a valve controlling the admission of air from said air-supply to said chamber through a main port, a secondary port for supplying air to said chamber to raise the pressure in the same, means for opening said secondary port by the initial movement of said valve before the main port is opened, and means for retarding the movement of said valve after said secondary part is opened until the pressure in said chamber is raised to substantially the pumping pressure.

6. In a compressed-air water-elevator, a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised and provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a main air-supply for supplying compressed air to force out the contents of said chamber, a valve controlling'the admission of air from said main air-supply to said chamber through a main port, a second air-supply, a secondary port for supplying air to said chamber from said second air-supply to raise the pressure, and means for openingsaid secondary port by the initial movement of said valve.

7. In a compressed-air water-elevator a chamber for containing theliquid to be raised provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a main pipe supplying compressed air for forcing out the contents of the chamber, a main valve for directing the compressed air to and exhausting it from the chamber, a separate air-supply pipe and a valve for controlling the flow of the compressed air in the secondary supply-pipe to the main valve for actuating the same and a bypass or releaseport extending from the cylinder of the main valve to the main air-port, intermediate the movement of said main valve, whereby the valve-moving air will escape into the chamber to be discharged, and delay the movement of the main valve until the pressure in the said. chamber becomes equal to that of the main air-supply.

S. In a compressed-air water-elevator a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised provided with a valved inlet and a valved delivery, a main pipe supplying compressed air for forcing out the contents of the chamber, a main valve for directing compressed air to and exhausting it from the chamber, a separate air-supply pipe and a valve for controlling the flow of the compressed air in the secondary supply-pipe to the main valve for,

actuating the same, and a by-pass or release port extending from the cylinder of the main valve to the main air-port intermediate the movement of said main valve whereby thevalve-moving air will escape into the chamber to be discharged and delay the movement of the main valve until the pressure in the said chamber becomes equalto that of the main air-supply, and a check-valve in said by-pass to prevent backflow when the cylinder is exhausted.

9. A combination with a chamber adapted to be immersed in liquid to be raised and having a valved inlet and delivery, of a main source of compressed air, a main valve directin g the supply and exhaust thereof to and from the chamber to discharge its contents, a secondary source of compressed air for operating the main valve a controlling-valve for said secondary supply of air and means for actuating the controlling-valve, and a bypass extending from the main valve to the main air-port for temporarily reducing the pressure in the main-valve cylinder below the valve-moving point, whereby the main valve is delayed in mid-stroke until the pressure of the secondary supply of air in the filling chamber equals that of the main air-supply when the main valve will complete its movement and the chamber be discharged.

1O. The combination with a pair of cham bers adapted to be immersed in liquid to be raised and having valved inlets and deliverypipes of a main source of compressed air, a

main valve directing the supply and exhaust thereof to and from the chambers to discharge their contents, a secondary source of compressed air for operating the main valve, a controlling valve connected with each chamber for said secondary supply of air, means operated by the contents of the chambers for actuating the controlling-valves, and a by-pass extending from each end of the main-valve cylinder to a main air-port for temporarily reducing the pressure in the mainvalve cylinder below the valve-moving point wherebythe main valve is delayed in midstroke and theair-supply is cut off from the other chamber until the pressure of the secondary supply of air in the filling chamber equals that of the main air-supply when the main valve will complete its movement and one chamber be discharged and the other exhausted and refilled.

11. The combination with a water-chamber of a compressed-air water-elevator of a main valve comprising a reciprocating piston and valve having anair-port extending into the chamber and a suitable exhaust-port adapted to be connected with the air-port by the valve, a main air-supply connected to said valve, an auxiliary, release or by-pass port extending from the cylinder of the main valve to the airport of the chambers beyond the main valve, whereby when compressed air is admitted behind the piston to move the same said air will escape when the auxiliary port is uncovered delayingthe movement of the piston until the pressure. in the chamber equals that of the main air-supply, and a check-valve in said auxiliary port to prevent backtlow when that end of the cylinder is exhausted.

12. In a com pressed-air water-elevator the combination with a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised having a valved inlet and a valved delivery, of a' main air-supply pipe, a main air-port connected with the chamber, an exhaust therefor, and a main valve for opening and closing said ports, of a controlling-valve actuated by the rise and fall of the contents of the chamber and a, separate supply of compressed air through the controlling-valve for moving the main valve and means for cutting off and confining the compressed air supplied to the chamber before its contents are fully discharged.

13. In a compressed-air water-elevator, a chamber for containing the liquid to be raised and provided with a valved inlet anda valved discharge, a main air-supply, a main valve controlling said main air-supply, a separate and independentlycontrollable air-supply for operating said main valve, an auxiliary valve for controlling said air-supply, mechanism for automatically operating said auxiliary valve, and means for manually operating said auxiliary valve while said main airsupply is cut off.

Signed by me at St. Louis, Missouri, this 19th day of April, 1898. I

MARCUS L. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

L. J. WATSON, ROBERT RUTLEDGE.

IIO 

